Frances Ruffelle

Frances Ruffelle is an English actress and singer renowned for creating the role of the waif-like Eponine in the original London and Broadway casts of Les Miserables, for which she won a Tony Award.

Her other theatre credits include: Queenie in The Wild Party at The Other Palace, Piaf in Pam Gem’s Piaf (nominated for a UK Theatre Award for Best Actor), Bella in the A to Z of Mrs P, Helen Hayes Award, Theatre World Award and Outer Circle Critics’ Award, Frastrada in Pippin at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Louisa in Terance Rattigan’s ‘The Sleeping Prince (Chichester Festival Theatre and West End). Dinah in the original company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, Roxie Hart in Chicago (Adelphi and Cambridge theatres), the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (tour) Delilah in Ian Dury’s Apples (Royal Court). Angelique Picard in Songs from a Hotel Bedroom (Royal Opera House), Mathilde in Mathilde (Edinburgh), Make Me A Song (New Players), Annabelle in Lucky Stiff (Bridewell). An Evening with Jason Robert Brown (New Players) and at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sydmonton Festival, she played Betty Shaefer in Sunset Boulevard and Candy in Whistle Down The Wind. Frances performed her solo show ‘Beneath the Dress’ at the Edinburgh Festival, Menier Chocolate Factory, London’s Garrick theatre and New York’s 54 Below. She performed her follow-up sell-out solo show ’Paris Original’ at the Crazy Coqs, London, in New York and on tour in the UK.

Recordings: Frances has recorded four solo albums, Fragile, Frances Ruffelle, Showgirl and most recently Imperfectly Me recorded at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club. Frances has also written and performed as PaTala with Sam Bonner and they have recently released the album Purif.y. Original Cast recordings of Les Miserables (London and Broadway), Starligtht Express, Children of Eden and Apples. Frances has duets with Christopher Cross, Ian Dury and Michael Crawford on their albums.

Radio concerts include two BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night, Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar) and The Judy Garland Tribute.

Frances also represented the UK in the Eurovision with Lonely Symphony